1831 Militia List for Wavendon

The 1831 Militia List for Wavendon

An amendment was made to the Militia Act in 1762, so that all men between 18 & 45 years of age (with a few exceptions) were liable to be conscripted into the Militia by ballot. This is a transcription of the surviving Militia Ballot List for Wavendon, compiled in February 1831.

45 Geo. III [1831] Buckinghamshire Militia Return to be made by the Constable to the Clerk of the Sub-division Meeting.Parish of Wavendon, list of Persons between 18 and 45

No.

Name

Description

Age

If any Child, and if any, whether any under 14

Exmpt or Not Exempt from Militia

Gounds of Exemption

Effective Volunteer or Yeoman

1

Thomas Ambridge

Labourer

30

4

Exempt

Children 4

2

John Bennett

Gent.

24

Not Exempt

3

Edward Bennett

Apprentice

19

Exempt

Apprentice

4

William Birt

Labourer

38

4

Exempt

Children 4

5

George Birt

Servant

30

Not Exempt

6

Thomas Birt

Labourer

28

Not Exempt

7

John Birt

Labourer

20

Not Exempt

8

George Bodsworth

Harness maker

34

4

Not Exempt

9

Robert Bovington

Servant

23

Not Exempt

10

William Butcher

Labourer

25

Not Exempt

11

Thomas Butcher

Groom

31

Not Exempt

12

James Butcher

Groom

28

2

Exempt

Children 2

13

Robert Butcher

Labourer

33

4

Exempt

Children 4

14

John Butcher

Labourer

24

1

Not Exempt

15

Francis Burrowes

Servant

22

Not Exempt

16

Joseph Burrowes

Labourer

29

2

Exempt

Children 2

17

Thomas Burrowes

Labourer

20

Not Exempt

18

John Clarke

Labourer

19

Not Exempt

19

James Clarke

Labourer

23

Not Exempt

20

William Clarke

Labourer

21

1

Not Exempt

21

Thomas Cooke

Labourer

21

Not Exempt

22

George Cooke

Servant

30

Not Exempt

23

William Chance

Labourer

20

Not Exempt

24

William Clapham

Labourer

32

4

Exempt

Children 4

25

Henry Collins

Labourer

19

Not Exempt

26

George Collins

Labourer

23

3

Exempt

Children 3

27

Thomas Cox

Labourer

43

6

Exempt

Children 6

28

Daniel Eaton

Labourer

40

4

Exempt

Children 4

29

James Facer

Labourer

35

4

Exempt

Children 4

30

John Farr

Labourer

26

4

Exempt

Children 4

31

Francis Garratt

Labourer

35

1

Not Exempt

32

Thomas Garratt

Labourer

26

Not Exempt

33

Nicholas Gardner

Servant

21

Not Exempt

34

Daniel Grace

Blacksmith

32

2

Not Exempt

35

Thomas Giles

Labourer

25

3

Exempt

Children 3

36

James Goodall

Labourer

21

1

Not Exempt

37

William Gowen

Labourer

32

1

Not Exempt

38

George Gregory

Labourer

35

4

Exempt

Children 4

39

Daniel Hammond

Labourer

43

4

Exempt

Children 4

40

Richard Harris

Cordwainer

22

Not Exempt

41

William Harris

Cordwainer

19

Not Exempt

42

John Hands

Labourer

37

2

Exempt

Children 2

43

George Hilyer

Victualler

34

3

Not Exempt

44

William Higgs

Tailor

25

Not Exempt

45

George Hebbs

Labourer

30

Not Exempt

A Ballotted Man served 5 years by substitute

46

Thomas Holmes

Labourer

38

4

Exempt

Children 4

47

William Hebbs

Labourer

35

1

Not Exempt

48

Thomas Hight

Apprentice

20

Exempt

Apprentice

49

John Hobbs

Rat Catcher

36

4

Exempt

Special Constable

50

James Hudson

Labourer

26

4

Exempt

Children 4

51

William Hull

Broom Maker

18

Not Exempt

52

John Hutton

Labourer

43

4

Exempt

Children 4

53

William Hollyhock

Groom

21

Not Exempt

54

Henry Ingram

Servant

21

Not Exempt

55

William Inwood

Labourer

21

Not Exempt

56

John Inwood

Labourer

19

Not Exempt

57

Charles Inwood

Cordwainer

30

7

Not Exempt

58

George Jackson

Labourer

30

2

Exempt

Children 2

59

James Jackson

Labourer

26

Not Exempt

60

Josiah Jackson

Labourer

21

Not Exempt

61

William Joyce

Labourer

24

1

Not Exempt

62

William King

Maltster

25

Not Exempt

63

John King

Farmers son

21

Not Exempt

64

Samuel King

Baker

24

1

Exempt

Yeoman

65

Samuel Kitelee

Labourer

26

1

Not Exempt

66

Thomas King

Maltster

29

Not Exempt

67

John Lane

Labourer

38

5

Exempt

Children 5

68

Jospeh Lane

Labourer

30

4

Exempt

Children 4

69

William Lane

Labourer

29

4

Exempt

Children 5

70

James Lane

Labourer

24

Not Exempt

71

Benjamin Leach

Labourer

21

Not Exempt

72

Thomas Leach

Labourer

29

1

Not Exempt

73

Richard Mabley

Blacksmith

41

2

Not Exempt

74

Jospeh Massey

Labourer

21

Not Exempt

75

James Mitchell

Broom Maker

20

Not Exempt

76

William Morris

Labourer

23

Not Exempt

77

James Morris

Labourer

28

Not Exempt

78

John Morris

Labourer

32

2

Exempt

Children 2

79

Jesse Moss

Labourer

38

2

Exempt

Children 3

80

William Meltman(?)

Labourer

44

2

Exempt

Children 4

81

Thomas Odams

Gent.

21

Exempt

Yeoman

82

Edward Padbury

Groom

38

4

Exempt

Children 4

83

Noah Philips

Farmer

26

1

Not Exempt

84

Thomas Sharpe

Carpenter

28

Not Exempt

85

William Shouler

Farmer

31

Not Exempt

86

John Scott

Labourer

30

5

Exempt

Children 5

87

William Smith

Labourer

29

1

Not Exempt

88

Josiah Spreckley

Butcher

37

2

Not Exempt

89

William Tansley

Labourer

26

3

Exempt

Children 3

90

Thomas Tansley

Labourer

33

3

Exempt

Children 3

91

George Tite

Carpenter

30

Not Exempt

92

Charles Tite

Carpenter

27

Not Exempt

93

William Todd

Labourer

44

4

Exempt

Children 4

94

George Warwick

Baker

29

Not Exempt

95

Joseph Watts

Harness maker

25

Not Exempt

96

James Whitlock

Labourer

37

5

Exempt

Children 5

97

Robert White

Labourer

33

5

Exempt

Children 5

98

James White

Labourer

43

2

Exempt

Children 2

Special Constable

99

George Wrench

Labourer

20

Not Exempt

100

James Yates

Labourer

39

5

Exempt

Children 5

101

Joseph Yates

Labourer

33

Not Exempt

102

John Young

Farmer

41

4

Not Exempt

103

James Clarke

Labourer

22

Not Exempt

“TAKE NOTICE That [blank] Fifth day of February at the hour of Eleven in the forenoon is appointed for hearing Appeals, within this sub-division, at the Saracens Head in Newport Pagnell by persons claiming to be Exempt from serving in the Militia, and that no further Appeals will be heard. And also that the Party who on that day neglects to Appeal, is under a penalty of Twenty Shillings, or one Weeks Imprisonment.”
“John Plowman, Constable of the Parish of Wavendon.”
5th February 1831 Verified on the Oath of John Plowman Before us: J B Band(?) & V A Talbot.

Thomas Plowman’s Mercy Petition, 1833

In July 1833, Thomas Plowman of Wavendon was arrested for stealing goods from a Leighton tailor. He had stolen ten pair of breeches, six yards of cloth, three waistcoats, 23 yards of fustian [heavy cotton cloth for menswear], and other goods, the property of Mr. Thomas Dumpleton, tailor, of Leighton Buzzard, Beds. Within a month of the crime, he found himself being tried for Larceny at the Bedfordshire Summer Assizes, at Bedford, and his story covered in local newspapers.

Plowman had worked for Dumpleton for seven months. He then left his employ and said he was starting his own business at Fenny Stratford. On 29th June, Dumpleton left his shop safe, but on his return on 1st July, he found his goods missing.

Dumpleton searched Fenny Stratford for Plowman, then went to see Plowman’s wife at The George, Little Brickhill, then went on to Yardley, with no sign of him. The next week, Plowman appeared back at Dumpletons shop, and stated that, on the night of the robbery, he had been with his brother at Weston Underwood. He then left the shop, but Dumpleton gave chase, calling “Stop thief!” Plowman turned and pulled a knife, saying he would stab anyone who tried to hold him if they didn’t have a warrant. He escaped across a brook, but a constable caught up with him, and arrested him.

Dumpleton later found his goods for sale in a pawnbroker’s shop in Coventry.

Richard Clark, woodman, gave evidence to the Court that Plowman had been offering waistcoats and breeches for sale at the Black Horse Inn, Stratford. He had bought some, and afterwards they had journeyed together towards Daventry.

William Coningworth, pawnbroker, Coventry, gave evidence that Plowman had been to his shop and sold him the goods, in return for £3 5s, using the name “John Newman”.

Plowman declined to make any defence at the trial, but he had received a good character reference for honesty from several witnesses in Leighton Buzzard and Wavendon. He was sentenced to seven years’ transportation.

Thomas Ploughman’s letter, begging for mercy from the Court, is lodged at The National Archives [ref. HO 17/55/31] It notes his previous good character, his utmost contrition, and is strongly recommended by the prosecutor for mercy. It states he has a ‘suffering wife & three infant children’ and the Gaoler reported, ‘Character good”. The letter is not signed by Plowman himself, but is signed by the prosecutor and 55 inhabitants of Leighton Buzzard and Wavendon. It is also annotated: “Removed to the Penitentiary.”

The following are the names of the Wavendon tradesmen who signed his mercy petition: